Alarm clock mechanism



March 10, 1936.

I. A. OLIAN ALARM CLOCK MECIHANISM Filed Feb. 23, 1954 W22? /7 mm Patented Mar. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to alarm clock mechanism.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved alarm clock comprising mechanism for sounding an initial alarm, in combination with additional mechanism cooperatively connected and combined with said first mechanism to sound another alarm a predetermined interval after the sounding of the initial alarm.

In the attainment of this object, I use only one striker and one bell, and provide means for operating the same, at first for a short interval of time, and then later, after a certain period of silence, again operating them until the alarm runs down or is stopped manually.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanism of the character and type herein disclosed applicable to various uses, all of which should be readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the annexed drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a clock mechanism embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation.

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing features of the present invention, much of the clock mechanism being omitted to avoid confusion.

Fig. 4 is a side edge elevation of a clock mechanism embodying the present invention.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view showing the device by which the second alarm is given.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a part of the mechanism shown in Fig, 5.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged detail view showing the device for varying the interval between the alarms.

The present invention is shown embodied in a clock mechanism having a minute hand spindle I and an hour hand spindle 2 mounted concentrically and rotated in a clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. l of the drawing. The mechanism for rotating said spindles comprises gearing operated by a gear wheel 3 rotated by a spring 4. Said gearing rotates the spindle I.

" A pinion 5 is attached to the spindle I and rotates and meshes with a gear 6 attached to a pinion I meshing with a gear 8' attached to the spindle 2, whereby the spindle 2 is rotated to operate the hour hand of the clock. The clock mechanism shown also includes a gear wheel 8 rotative about a supporting spindle 9 and having a hub I9 formed with a shoulder II in operative relation to a projection I2 attached to the spindle 9. Thus, in this clock mechanism the gear wheel 8 is rotated by the constantly rotating pinion I. A knob I3, in connection with the opposite end of the spindle 9, constitutes manual means for rotating said spindle 9 to turn the projection I2 to any desired position with respect to the shoulder II and thereby determining the amount of time that must elapse before the shoulder I i will be turned to position opposite the projection I2. A spring member I4 is attached to the clock frame I and has a hole through which the spindle 9 extends, the power and resiliency of said spring I4 tending to move said spring outwardly from the frame I 5 and to move the gear 8 outwardly along the spindle 9. The projection I2, abutting against the end of the hub I0, holds the gear wheel 8 toward the frame 25, causing the hub extension I6 of the gear wheel 8 to hold the spring I4 close to the frame I5. The outer end of the spring I4 is formed with an inward extension I! engaging under an arm I9 during the time that the spring I4 is held close to the frame I5 by the hub extension I6. During the rotation of the gear 8 and the hub ID, the shoulder II (Fig. 4) is eventually brought oposite the projection I2, at which time the spring I4 moves outwardly from the frame I5 a distance sufficient to move the extension I! out of engagement with the arm I8. Thereupon, in this clock mechanism the hammer or striker I9 is operated to strike the usual gong or bell (not shown) to sound an alarm.

The arm I8 and the hammer or striker I9 are attached to a rocking support 20 to which is also attached an actuating member 2I having its ends located adjacent to and adapted to be engaged and operated by the teeth of a wheel 22.

The hub I0 continues to rotate while the hammer or striker I9 is operating and is moved inwardly along the spindle 9 toward the frame I5 in opposition to the power of the spring I4 and thereby moves the spring l4 toward the frame I5 and engages the projection IT with the arm I 8.

A gear 23 is mounted loosely on a rotary spindle 24 to which the inner end of a spring 25 is attached, the outer end of said spring being at-- tached to a rigid frame member 26. A pawl 21, pivotally supported by the gear 23, meshes with a ratchet Wheel 28 attached to the spindle 24 in an arrangement permitting the spindle 24 to be turned in one direction to wind the spring 25 and preventing the spring 25 from turning the spindle 24 in the opposite direction during the time that the gear wheel 23 is held against rotation. The gear wheel 23 meshes with a pinion 29 in rigid connection with a gear wheel 30 mounted on a spindle 3i and meshing with a pinion 32 rigid with the wheel 22. It is clear that, when the extension I'I locks the arm I8 against oscillation by the wheel 22, the spring 25 cannot rotate the gear 23.

As hereinbefore indicated, the spring I4 is pressed toward the frame I5 by operation of the hub Iii against the arm I2 after said hub has been moved outwardly by said spring It. And such inward movement of the spring member I4 engages the extension H with the arm I8 effectively to hold the actuating member 2| in looking engagement with the wheel 22, thereby preventing operation of the alarm mechanism.

My invention comprises devices associated and cooperatively combined with the alarm mechanism described for stopping operation of said alarm mechanism after a short interval of time, preventing further operation of said alarm mechanism for a selected interval of time, and then again operating the alarm mechanism. As shown, a gear wheel 33 is loosely mounted on the spindle 24 and supports a pawl 34 engaging a ratchet pinion 35 loosely mounted on the spindle 25 and having a laterally extended hub 36 provided with a segmental slot 31 (Fig. 6). A pin 38, rigid with the spindle 24, projects radially into the slot 31. As before stated, the spindle Z4 is rotated by the spring 25 and the pawl and ratchet device 2'I28 rotates the gear 23 for an interval of time when the extension ll is disengaged from the arm l8. That interval of time is that required for the pin 38 to move from the wall 39 of the slot 31 to the Wall 40 of said slot.

The gear 33 meshes with a pinion 4| rigid with a toothed wheel 42 and a spindle 43. An actuating member 45 is mounted on a rocking support 55 and has its ends located adjacent to and adapted to be engaged and operated by the teeth of the wheel 42 when said wheel 42 rotates and also to prevent rotation of said wheel 52 during the time that the member 44 is held against oscillation. An arm 55 is attached to the rocking support 45. No striker nor bell is associated with this mechanism comprising the parts 5! to 55; and this mechanism functions merely as a stop or control device for stopping the alarm I9 after it begins to ring for the first time, and for thereafter allowing it to ring a second time after a short interval of time, determined by the position of elements hereinafter described.

A gear wheel 51, similar to the gear wheel 8, is loosely mounted on a spindle 48 having one end supported for rotation by the frame member 49 and the opposite end extending through an arouate slot 50 in the frame member I 5 and supported in a notch 5! in the end of an adjusting lever 52 mounted on a pivot 53 attached to said frame I 5. The gear wheel 4'! meshes with and is rotated by the pinion l and has an outwardly extended hub 54 provided with an abrupt shoulder 55 like the shoulder H. An inwardly extended hub 55, rigid with the wheel ll, engages a spring member 5'! attached to the frame I 5 and having on its outer end an extension 58 adapted to engage and disengage the arm 45. When the extension 58 is in engagement with the arm 46, said arm is held from oscillation and, in turn, holds the oscillating support 45 and locking member 44 against operation. As stated, when the locking member 4 cannot oscillate, the wheel 32 is thereby locked from rotation, so that, when the pin 38 engages the shoulder 45, further rotation of the spindle 24 and the gear wheel 23 and the gearing for rotating the wheel 22 is prevented, thus shutting off the first alarm.

A projection 59, attached to the end of the spindle 48, engages the end of the hub 5:1 and thereby holds the spring 5'! close to the frame I 5 until the shoulder 55 is rotated to a position opposite the projection 59, whereupon the resiliency of the spring member 57 is utilized to push the members 55, 41, 54 outwardly. The outward movement of the spring member 5? disengages the extension 58 thereof from the arm 36 and thereby unlocks the gearing for operating the alarm hammer or striker I9.

Since the gears 8 and ll are both in constant mesh with the pinion and are both constantly rotated by said pinion I, it is clear that the duration of the time interval that will elapse between the initial alarm and the second or final alarm is determined upon the duration of time that will elapse between the outward movement of the gears 8 and 4?. And the interval of time between outward movement of the gear 8 and outward movement of the gear il is regulated and determined by the relationship of the shoulders II and 55 with respect to the projections I2 and 59. This interval of time may be varied by movement and adjustment of the support 52 to move the spindle 58 along the slot 59, during which movement the spindle 58 is held against rotation while the gear 47 turns through a few degrees of movement because of the engagement thereof with the pinion I. This is because there is a planetary movement of the gear 47 through a few degrees about the pinion I, resulting in a slight turning movement being imparted to said gear 47, thereby moving the shoulder 55 a few degrees with respect to the stationary projection 59.

A gear wheel 65 is attached to the spindle 9 (Fig. 3) .and meshes with a pinion Bl. A gear wheel 62 is attached to the spindle 48 and is also in mesh with the pinion BI. Therefore, rotation of the spindle 9 by the knob I3 will correspondingly rotate the spindle 48, thus preventing relative displacement of the projections I2 and 59 while permitting a change of relationship of the shoulder 55 with respect to the shoulder II by operating the support 52, as described.

When the extension 58 is disengaged from the arm 46, the alarm will continue to operate until the spring 25 is run down or until the alarm is stopped in some way.

This invention is a highly efficient and simplified alarm mechanism. It is specially adapted for use in alarm clocks but its utility is not limited to use in clocks, and I do not so restrict myself.

The construction, arrangement and relationship of the elements comprising the device may be widely varied within the scope of equivalent limits without departure from the nature and principle of the invention. I do not restrict myself beyond the requirements of the state of the art, but what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Mechanism of the character described comprising a part to be operated, a gear wheel, a rotary spindle loosely supporting and interlocked With said gear wheel for rotating said gear wheel in one direction, gearing for operating said part by said gear wheel, a spring for rotating said spindle in said one direction and thereby rotating said gear wheel, means for holding said part in engagement with a part of said gearing to prevent operation of said gearing by said gear wheel and thereby prevent rotation of said gear wheel and said spindle, timing mechanism for releasing said means at a predetermined time, a second gear wheel supported for rotation with and about said spindle, means for rotating said second gear wheel, a train of interengaging elements preventing rotation of said second gear wheel and stopping rotation of said spindle with respect to said second gear wheel after a predetermined interval during which said spindle is first rotated by said spring as aforesaid, and means operated by said timing mechanism for releasing said interengaging elements at a selected time after rotation of said spindle has been stopped thereby.

2. Mechanism of the character described comprising a part to be operated, gearing for operating said part, a device for holding said part in looking engagement with a part of said gearing to prevent operation of said gearing, timing, mechanism for effecting release of said device to permit operation of said part by said gearing, a rotary spindle, a spring for rotating said spindle, a gear wheel loosely mounted on said spindle for operating said gearing, a train of interengaging elements forming an interlock for rotating said gear wheel by said spindle, a second gear wheel loosely mounted on said spindle, means for rotating said second gear wheel by said spindle devices for stopping rotation of said spindle by said spring and for locking said second gear wheel against rotation by said spindle, and means controlled by said timing mechanism for releasing said devices when a predetermined amount of time has elapsed after rotation of said spindle has been stopped by said devices.

3. Mechanism of the character described comprising a part to be operated, a rotary spindle, a spring for rotating said spindle in one direction, a gear wheel loosely mounted on said spindle, cooperating parts between said spindle and said gear wheel for rotating said gear by said spindle when said spindle is rotated by said spring, gearing for operating said part by said gear Wheel, a second gear wheel loosely mounted on said spindle, devices supported by said spindle for rotating said second gear wheel by said spindle, a locking device for stopping rotation of said spindle after an interval of rotation thereof, and timing mechanism for releasing said locking device after a predetermined interval of time from the stopping of said spindle by said locking device.

4. Mechanism to be operated, a gear wheel for operating said mechanism, a rotary spindle interlocked with said gear wheel for driving said gear wheel in one direction by said spindle, and said spindle being free to rotate in the opposite direction while said gear wheel remains stationary, means for rotating said spindle as required to drive said gear wheel in said one direction, a second gear wheel supported by said spindle, devices for rotating said second gear wheel by said spindle in the same direction in which said first gear wheel is rotated by said spindle and leaving said spindle free to rotate in the opposite direction while said second gear wheel remains stationary, means for rotating said spindle and thereby said first named gear wheel an initial extent of rotation while said second gear wheel remains stationary, means for locking said second gear wheel from rotation by said spindle and stopping rotation of said spin-dle after an initial rotation thereof, and timing mechanism for releasing said locking means after lapse of an interval of time from the time of the stopping of rotation of said spindle as aforesaid.

5. Mechanism to be operated, a gear wheel for operating said mechanism, a rotary spindle interlocked with said gear wheel for driving said gear wheel in one direction by said spindle, and said spindle being free to rotate in the opposite direc tion while said gear wheel remains stationary, means for rotating said spindle as required to drive said gear wheel in said one direction, a second gear wheel supported by said spindle and interlocked with said spindle for rotating said second gear wheel by said spindle in the same direction in which said first gear wheel is rotated by said spindle and leaving said spindle free to rotate in the opposite direction while said second gear wheel remains stationary, means for rotating said spindle and thereby said first named gear wheel an initial extent of rotation while said second gear wheel remains stationary, means for locking said second gear wheel from rotation by said spindle and stopping rotation of said spindle after an initial rotation thereof, timing mechanism for releasing said locking means after lapse of an interval of time from the time of the stopping of rotation of said spindle as aforesaid, and means for varying the extent of said interval of time.

6. In mechanism of the character described, a spindle to be rotated, a spring for rotating said spindle, a gear wheel loosely mounted on said spindle, means for rotating said gear wheel by said spindle, mechanism operated by said gear wheel, a second gear wheel loosely mounted on said spindle, means for rotating said second gear wheel, means for rotating said spindle by said spring while said second gear wheel remains stationary, means for holding said second gear wheel stationary and stopping rotation of said spindle, and timing mechanism for releasing said holding means after lapse of an interval of time from the time of the stopping of said spindle by said last named means.

7. In mechanism of the character described, a spindle to be rotated, a spring for rotating said spindle, a gear wheel loosely mounted on said spindle, means for rotating said gear wheel by said spindle, mechanism operated by said gear wheel, a second gear wheel loosely mounted on said spindle, means for rotating said second gear wheel, means for rotating said spindle by said spring while said second gear wheel remains sta tionary, means for holding said second gear wheel stationary and stopping rotation of said spindle,

.devices for controlling operation of said mechanism by said first gear wheel and for controlling operation of said second gear wheel by said spindle, and timing means controlling said devices to cause initial operation of said mechanism by said first gear wheel and subsequent release of said second gear wheel.

IRWIN A. OLIAN. 

